Tuesday April 12

Sorry I missed posting on Tuesday.  I was having a really bad day and had a lot of pain.   Everything is ok with my labs etc.  I think I overdid it on Monday walking as much as i did plus having the tests done just took a toll on my body.

I ate a little bit of yogurt and some broth and had a couple of sips of ginger ale as well.  I didn't have too much of an appetite.  I took a couple little naps here and there because I was so exhausted.

My mom came and spent the night with me on her way back to Lancaster.   She had gone to Ohio to visit Honey in the nursing home they moved her to on Monday.

That was my Tuesday in a nutshell.   Again....sorry for slacking on the updates 😀

Monday April 11

Today was a good day!!  My biopsy results came back and everything looks good.   So far, no signs of rejection.  The doctors are going to slowly take away my iv antibiotics and transition me to pills so that when I go home I won't be hanging iv meds constantly.  

I was given permission to eat a full liquid diet which consists of puréed or cream soups, ice cream, yogurt, any beverages, cream of wheat and things of that consistency.  

It's a terrible picture of me but I'll share anyway.

I ate a little bit and so far so good.  I didn't have any nausea, vomiting or side effects so far from eating.  We are taking baby steps but are slowly moving in the right direction!!!   I'm just taking each day as it comes and each hurdle one at a time.  

Around lunchtime a doctor came in and asked me if I would mind if he sent in some first time medical students to get my history and examine me.  I agreed and about an hour later two students came in and did an exam, asked me a bunch of questions and took a lot of notes.  Apparently I'm an interesting case so they decided to choose me.

I also wanted to thank everyone again for the cards and get well wishes!!!   Colin has been hanging them on my wall here at the hospital and all of the nurses keep commenting on how much I am loved.  It makes me smile every time I look at the wall.   We have filled one wall and are starting to fill another!!

Today should be pretty uneventful.  I'm going to focus on walking today.  I will post more later.   Have a great day!!

Sunday April 10

Sorry I have been MIA.  I've been really exhausted the past couple of days.

Friday was a good day.  I had a couple of visitors.  My friend Matt came to the hospital and hung out for a few hours.   He and Colin left around dinner.  After they left my Uncle JIm and Aunt Beth stopped for a couple of hours.   They flew into Pittsburgh to visit with Honey in Altoona for the weekend so on their way back to the airport they stopped at the hospital to see me.  I was also able to eat clear liquids!!   Making baby steps but I'm headed in the right direction.   It was a very good day!   (Ignore my fat face!)

Saturday Cyndee and Brooke came to visit.   They spent the day at the hospital with me.  They left a little before dinner so Colin could grab a couple of things at the store and so they could get some dinner.  Everything on my labs were good but my hemoglobin was low so they had to give me some more blood.  They also started giving me some of my medicine orally instead of through my iv.   So far I've been tolerating everything pretty well.  I colored in my coloring book for a little bit and of course couldn't stop until I was done with the page.  The air in my room is so dry that I woke up in the middle of the night with a nosebleed.  I was joking with the nurse that I just got blood earlier in the day and my body can't afford to lose any more!  

Today was a pretty good day as well.   Brooke and Cyndee came in with Colin around 8:30.  I had already done three laps in the hallway by the time they got here.  Colin brought bagels for he nurses for breakfast. They really enjoyed them.   It was really sweet of him. He also surprised me with stuff to do my nails.  I have to keep my nails short now so that nothing gets under them.  So no more bright polishes for me because I have stubs for nails.

Cyndee and Brooke left around 10.   They made it home safe and sound.  It was really nice having them visit.   They were also able to force Colin to eat real food.   They went to Linghorn for dinner Saturday and they went and got breakfast this morning.   Colin has been eating hospital food for the past two weeks so I'm sure it's getting old and it's probably not too appetizing.

I colored another picture and we layed down and took a nap.  My nurse Nicole scattered my medicine a little bit so I wouldn't be interrupted.  Colin and I both fell asleep for about 2 hours.  Neither of us are sleeping well.  Colin left around dinner so he could take care of some things at the house.  I of course colored some more.  I am ready for bed.  My biopsy is at 6:30 tomorrow morning so I will update then.   Have a good night!!!   Sweet dreams!!

Thursday April 6

Today was a pretty good day all in all.  I was able to wash my hair for the first time.   It felt awesome!!!!   I still can't shower yet but I can take sponge baths.   I cleaned myself up and went for a walk. 

My hemoglobin levels came up.   The doctors seem pretty happy with my progress.   All the labs look good.   The biopsy results came back and so far my new intestines are healthy and functioning.  

Even better news.....

I was able to eat a Popsicle!!!    It was amazing!!!  I may be able to start on other fluids later this week.  

I have no tests scheduled until next week so the rest of this week is just going to be focusing on walking and getting strong enough to go home.   

I did 2223 walking steps today and was able to do 20 stairs so physical therapy no longer has to see me and has signed off on my care.  Making progress!   I will post more tomorrow.  Have a good night!

Tuesday April 5

I had my biopsy this morning.  Everything looked good on the camera.  They will have the biopsy results back in the next day or two.  

I walked 4 laps around the hallway today and was able to walk up and down 9 steps.  

My hemoglobin was low again so they gave me another unit of blood.  They removed my catheter today and so far I'm emptying my bladder on my own.  I don't have anything scheduled for tomorrow as of yet.   I'm in a decent amount of pain right now from all the moving but I'm hoping it's a good "healing" pain.

That's really my only update for the day.  I hope you have a good evening!!  I'll try to post more tomorrow. 

Monday April 4

Sorry I haven't posted the past couple of days.  I was really not feeling well on Saturday and was recouperating yesterday from my tough day.

Here's my update for today :)

I had a new Picc line inserted first thing this morning.   It was pretty quick and painless.   I had the central line removed from my me know so I feel a little more free now!!!   It was hard having iv's hooked into my neck.  I felt like they were constantly pulling and I was paranoid I was going to rip them out.

After that I came back to my room.  I received a lot of goodies today at the hospital and over the weekend as well.  A huge stack of cards came in the mail today.  Thank you to everyone who sent cards.  I will be honest though.....I cried a lot when reading them because I was so overwhelmed with the kind words and the prayers.   

I jumped a little ahead with that so I'm going to backtrack a little.   Saturday I had a surprise visit from Ashley.  She brought me some gifts from the Schavins family as well as this beautiful art piece with notes from everyone who participated in the craft event that Kelly had a few weekends ago.   

Colin took it back to the apartment to hang it up there. There really isn't anywhere to put it in my tiny little room.   It's so creative and thoughtful.   Thank you!!

Back to today.  They sent me down to radiology to get a small bowel follow through.  It's a test where you drink a bunch of barium-type liquid and they take pictures every 10-15 minutes until the liqiud makes it the whole way through and they are able to check the "connection sights" and make sure there's no leaking, perferation and to check the overall function of the small intestine.  We went down around 1:45 and got back to my room about 4:30.  Most of the liquid was staying in my stomach so it took a while to get through the first connection.  Once they got to the connection site and watched it at a couple different angles they sent me back to my room but said I will have to get a few more X-rays so they will just send the portable one to my room.  

They came in twice to X-ray me so far.  It's nice because I don't have to be transported back and forth between scans and I was starting to get really uncomfortable.  

At this point I'm doing ok.   I had a long day of being tossed from test to test and bed to bed.  I'm settled in for the night.  

Tomorrow I have another biopsy.  They are going to do two a week for now.  I will do my best to post more tomorrow.   Have a good night!

Friday April 1

They took out my catheter last night (again) and I am still having trouble voiding on my own.   They had to straight cath me and empty my bladder for me twice.   I was up all night in pain between the pain of having a full bladder and the incisional pain from trying to to force myself to pee.  

Mom slept in the hospital with me last night which gave her a sense of how impossible it is to get any rest while you are in here.  She was up all night with me.

I had my biopsy this morning.   Everything looked good on the camera but they won't have the actual biopsy results back until Monday.  They changed a couple of my meds around today as well and put the Foley catheter back in.  They put me on medication to jump start my bladder as well so I will have the catheter in until Monday.  I'm still having high blood pressure which they are trying to control.

I took three walks today and am making some progress.  I was also able to take a little nap this afternoon which was much needed.  I'm laying down now for the night.  I hope to get some sleep but we all know how that typically goes for me.  

Sweet dreams!!!